Customs Clearance in Canada
Import entries into Canada are administered by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Cargo typically sits 3–6 days at the gateway before release, and most of that window is documentation rather than physical inspection. We handle the entry itself — classification, valuation, duty and tax settlement, and the release — either as part of a delivered duty-paid movement or as a standalone brokerage service on cargo somebody else is shipping.
Clearance profile — Canada
| Customs authority | Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) |
|---|---|
| Duty and tax | GST 5% (+ provincial PST/HST); duty 0–18% |
| De-minimis | CAD 20 (CAD 40 gifts; CAD 150 duty-free under CUSMA courier) |
| Certification | ISED for radio devices; bilingual EN/FR labelling |
| Typical port dwell | 3–6 days |
| Sea gateways | Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal |
| Air gateways | YVR (Vancouver), YYZ (Toronto), YUL (Montreal) |
Compiled from the destination customs authority and port operators as a buyer-planning reference. It is not a customs ruling — the binding position depends on your HS heading and the consignee's status.
What we do on the entry
- Classification. We agree the HS heading before the cargo sails, not after it lands. A heading argued at the border costs storage every day it runs.
- Valuation. We build the customs value the way Canada expects it — including or excluding freight and insurance according to the local rule, with the supporting evidence attached.
- Entry filing and duty settlement. Lodged in the consignee's name or, where the market allows it, under our own importer arrangement.
- Release and onward delivery. Terminal release, any inspection attendance, and delivery to the door if you want the movement quoted duty-paid.
What actually holds shipments here
Importer-of-record registration and tax IDs must be in place before arrival; several markets file the declaration pre-shipment.
We do not publish a duty table for Canada because the rate that matters is the one on your heading, not the headline band. Send the commodity and specification and we will come back with the applicable rate and the certification it triggers.
Documents we will ask for
- Commercial invoice and packing list matching the goods exactly
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- Certificate of origin where a preference is claimed
- Consignee registration or tax identifier for the market
- Product certification, permits or licences where the commodity requires them
Mismatches between the invoice and the transport document are the single most common reason an entry is queried. We check them before filing rather than after a query lands.
Clearing agents in Canada
Our entries in Canada are filed by licensed local brokers, not sub-contracted blind. If you hold a customs broker licence or AEO authorisation here, we are open to adding capacity — we send referred volume from an ocean freight book that already discharges at your gateways.
The network is vetted rather than open: licence verification with the issuing authority, insurance, two contactable references and supervised trial entries before any unsupervised volume.
Apply to become our Canada clearance partner →Freight rates into Canada
Clearance is quoted alongside the freight. These are the priced lanes we currently run into this market.
- China to Canada (Zone 2 – YVR/YXX/WHV (FBA Specified)) Freight — LCL Shipping Rates, Duty Paid
- China to Canada (Zone 4 – YYC/YEG/WM21 (FBA Specified)) Sea Freight Rates — Door to Door
- China to Canada (Zone 6 – YOW/YHM/YXU/YGK (FBA Specified)) Freight — LCL Shipping Rates, Dut…
- Ningbo to Montreal FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Ningbo–Vancouver Sea Freight: Container Rates and Schedule
- Shanghai to Prince Rupert Container Shipping — 20GP Rates
- Ship Ningbo to Prince Rupert — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Shanghai to Montreal — FCL Container Cost from China
Common questions
Who administers customs clearance in Canada?
Import entries are administered by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
How long does clearance take in Canada?
Cargo typically sits 3–6 days at the gateway. Complete paperwork lodged before arrival is what keeps a shipment at the short end of that range.
What duty and tax applies in Canada?
GST 5% (+ provincial PST/HST); duty 0–18% The rate that applies to your shipment depends on the HS heading — send the specification for a firm figure.
Can you clear cargo in Canada that you did not ship?
Yes. Brokerage is available as a standalone service on cargo moved by another forwarder, as well as bundled into a duty-paid movement we carry ourselves.
Do you work with local brokers in Canada?
Yes — our clearance network is built on vetted local licence holders. Brokers in this market can apply to join through our partner programme.